A semester opening ceremony was organized on 13 February to welcome more than 50 foreign guest students, who arrived in the framework of different mobility programs to spend a few months at Ludovika – University of Public Service. All of the Faculties and notable student bodies, such as the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and the Students' Union (HÖK), represented themselves at the ceremony.
The event started with the heartfelt welcome of Boglárka Koller, Vice-Rector for International Affairs. In her speech, she highlighted that our university is always open to those who are suffering from recent catastrophes, such as the Russo-Ukrainian war and the recent earthquakes in Turkey. She added that students came to the University primarily to learn, but they would find many opportunities and would not be bored. Besides fulfilling the duties coming with being a university student, she also encouraged them to learn some Hungarian words, try Hungarian food, see the sights of Hungary, and most importantly, have fun.
Following Miss Vice-Rector’s speech, Dr Bence Mészáros, Police Colonel and Vice Dean for Academic and International Affairs, took the opportunity to introduce the Faculty of Law Enforcement. The brief introduction explained what the faculty does, and how students live, study, and also train due to their special dualistic status of being a student and a police cadet at the same time. He also emphasized what Vice-Rector suggested: incoming students must enjoy life while pursuing there studies at UPS.
“Thanks to the geographical location of Hungary, not only are you able to visit Hungarian attractions, but you have the chance to easily travel into our neighboring countries, such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria. I highly recommend doing so, it’s cheap and fast.” – noted Márk Petróczki representing the Faculty of Military Science and Officer Training. He also stated that students should not be afraid of seeking help in case of necessity, as the staff of Ludovika is more than eager to help out everyone.
Dr Tamás Pálvölgyi, Vice Dean for Strategy and International Affairs, greeted the audience on behalf of the Faculty of Water Sciences. “Although our faculty is the youngest, it researches one of the most important aspects of our life: water. Baja is the capital of water science - those who come there will not only be involved in laboratory analyses but will also learn to see and feel the power of water”. In the brief introduction, Dr Pálvölgyi demonstrated the different possibilities for students: for those who are just starting their studies at the BSc level and those who wish to further elaborate their acquired knowledge in MSc or PhD courses.
“If you want to understand international politics, law, and history, your place is with us. If you want to understand the events of today, such as the war in Ukraine, your place is with us. And if you even want to understand why they are taking place, and the processes behind those events, your place is definitely with us.” – stated Dr Péter Krisztián Zachar, Vice Dean for International Affairs at the Faculty of Public Governance and International Studies. The Faculty is committed to training new recruits for the civil service, who are experts professionally both in interstate and international spheres. He said that what makes the courses special is their ability to adapt to current challenges. One example is the unique doctoral program in the field of public administration analysis.
As part of International Welcome Day, the student organizations of the university also represented themselves. Martin Krózser, President of the Student Union, stressed that when foreign students arrive at Ludovika, they have many questions that they can ask the student organizations, and the President of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), Lilla Csáki also assured the newcomers of the organization’s support. After the formal introduction of the University, international students could discover the campus and took part in exciting afternoon programmes organised by student bodies.
Photo: Katinka Halápi
Text: International Office